Trace and cut out circle of cardstock { or even better matt board } the same size as the bottom of your spool of thread. Cut out circle of text weight paper that is just a bit smaller.

Cut piece of crepe paper to 5" x 6" with the grain running vertically. Place cardstock circle on the bottom of the spool and wrap crepe paper tightly around it - allow for a 1/2 " overhang at bottom and then snip overhang very 1/4" all the way around. Fold these pieces toward center and glue to cardstock circle, creating the base of the pouch. Glue smaller textweight paper circle to the bottom. { If I were to make this over again, I would choose to use papers that are close to the color of the flower.} With the spool of thread still inside, twist the top as tightly as possible right at the top of the spool. Untwist and remove spool.

For the flower, cut a piece of crepe paper 14" wide and 7" in length. Along top edge, cut soft undulating waves for the petals. Wrap crepe paper completely around spool of thread with a 1 1/2" overhang at the bottom. Lightly tack the seam with glue. Put green wire stem inside and cinch the bottom crepe paper around the stem with fine floral wire as tightly as possible. Keep the spool inside the flower!

Cut piece of green cardstock into a long leaf shape, about 1" by 4". { I wrote I love you with green pen} Cut piece of green crepe paper 2" by 3" with an undulating curve at top. Gently stretch the top part of the crepe paper and then wrap around base of flower and stem. Secure with floral tape and wrap remainder of wire stem. Glue a long, thin strip of green crepe at base and tightly wrap stem, securing with glue every 1/2" or so. Stop 2/3 of the way down and glue paper leaf to stem, wrap crepe over that connection a couple of times and finish wrapping remainder of stem.

Remove spool of thread and widen the bloom a tiny bit with your fingers. Place your gift in the secret pouch with tissue paper if needed. Twist top tightly and fold down. Place pouch inside flower, making sure to tuck the top down. To make is more secure, use a small repositionable glue dot on the bottom of pouch.

June 11, 2010

I like using fabric sometimes in lieu of paper with different craft projects. I actually use my paper cutter when cutting smaller pieces of fabric. For these favors, adhering strips of crepe paper with doublestick tape prevents the fabric edges from fraying after using decorative pinking shears.

January 21, 2010

I love all of the delicious colors of very delicious macarons. I used a new artist palette for a fun way to gift them - just a little dab of icing {whip up a tiny batch or even use a little bit from a tube from the grocery} will keep them in place. I slipped a large cello bag over these and attached a gift tag.

September 22, 2009

True confession - I don't really sew. I am sure I would like it, if I knew what I was doing. I do, however, love fabric and end up at the fabric store quite often as I am pretty good at coming up with projects that require fabric but avoid a needle and thread.

Whatever the method, we all end up with fabric scraps too big to throw out and too small for a larger project. Use a little of that scrap and a paper box heading to the recycling bin for this gift box project. Any small product packaging/box can work, here I used the box from my glue dots once they were gone. Unfold and flatten the package - if it has a glued seam, flatten as much as you can but leave the seam glued - and apply double sided adhesive to each panel/side of the box. Burnish the tape with a bone folder to be sure the adhesive will transfer to the box. Remove a portion of the tape lining and burnish fabric to adhesive with bone folder, working from the top down. Cut excess fabric and brush a thin line of glue on all of the edges to keep fabric from unraveling and let dry. Ready to reassemble box - here I used some left over embroidery thread instead of ribbon to finish.

August 06, 2009

Inspired by a wedding save the date in a past issue of MS Weddings, I found a new use for the junk mail envelopes I receive. I like all of the different patterns on the inside of security envelopes - split all the way open, I folded them in half with patterned sides out and used double stick adhesive to make each piece double thick. I cut these out freehand, {lightly scoring straight lines with a bone folder and ruler for a guide}but you can also print out the letters in a desired font and size and use that as a template. I used waxed twine to thread the letters [the h is flipped in the pic} and then taped the tail into the bottom of the envelope.

March 24, 2009

Silver is my favorite color. For years, I was a strict Christmas ornament curator - only silver on the tree {some vintage pink ornaments even met a bath of acetone to become the desired color}. So, here is a small collection of gift toppers with sparkle.

With metal stamps, For You impressed onto aluminum plant labels you can find at the nursery - Vintage tin sample spoon, can be had on Ebay - Glitter star to adhere with spot of double stick tape - Monogram cut into one of my shield tags, crepe paper ruffle with square silver brad - Chipboard letter wrapped with silver thread - Vintage rhinestone buttons to thread onto ribbon - One of my glitter trophy tags with ribbon - Monogram stamped onto my favorite silver ribbon, highlighted with embossing powder - One of my silver letterpress gift buckles with velvet ribbon - Tin number used to mark telephone poles, similar can be found here.

February 13, 2009

Inspired by the colorful trends of pixels, {color} palettes, and{ombre} patterns that are cheering folks up these days. I made this pixel heart for someone special. It might look time-consuming, but it wasn't too bad and rather relaxing- I imagine that a craft project like this would be a perfect way to pass time at the sanitarium.

I started with a large paper heart box of chocolates. It is best if the heart doesn't have a lip around the edge and isn't too textured. First, I glued a piece of pink card stock to the top of the box, trimming edge with exacto when dry - the card stock smoothed out the slightly embossed pattern.The squares are cut from a craft punch - which is a way for me to avoid human error with measuring/cutting up little tiny squares. I think the punch was 5/8 inch. I gathered up every scrap of pink and red paper I had from past projects as well as more paint chips from an old paint deck{but, I imagine you could 'liberate' a few from the Home Depot}. To start, I drew a horizontal guide line the width of one square down from the top and glued my first course. With the remainder of the courses, I applied glue to a small area at a time and made sure that the squares were tight and aligned to the first row. As I worked, I burnished the mosaic with the back of a spoon on top of scratch paper. I trimmed the edge with an exacto and then glued pink paper to the sides of the lid.

This gift is more about the box than the chocolates, it would be ideal to make my own treats for someone. The week after Valentine's Day, when stores are discounting the remainders, is a way to snap up boxes for future projects. Ditch the chocolates they include{ I swear I will make my husband take them to work} and you're set for next year.

PROJECTS & TUTORIALS

Copyright

Copyright 2007-2013 by Denise Sharp. All rights reserved. Please don't copy my artwork or any of my original photos, images or content for commercial use or without my permission. Thanks. If you would like to link to my site, great!